Daniel Dubois – Joe Joyce – Postponed

FRANK WARREN today held a major press conference to announce the fight British boxing fans have demanded between unbeaten heavyweight KO merchants Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce.

They unbeaten giants will collide in an explosive 12 rounder at The O2, London on Saturday April 11, live on BT Sport Box Office, in one of the biggest fights in world heavyweight boxing.

‘Dynamite’ Dubois, is the current British, Commonwealth, WBC Silver and WBO International champion. Olympic silver medallist ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce, holds the WBA Gold championship and is the former Commonwealth and WBA Continental champion.

To launch the biggest domestic clash of 2020, the London rivals appeared on Good Morning Britain, where Dubois (14-0, 13 KOs) told his enemy: “I’m going to put you to sleep, bring your sleeping bag.”

Joyce (10-0, 9 KOs) snapped back: “He’s going to get knocked out. All my opponents have had winning records, who has he fought?”

The pair then went on to morning radio at Talksport where the hostilities continued and the pair faced off on balcony of The News Building in front of a stunning London skyline.

The pair then appeared at a packed press conference in London’s West End at BT Tower. Tension mounted and in a heated face to face, verbals were exchanged followed by Daniel Dubois shoving Joe Joyce and security being forced to step in.

Here are a selection of quotes from that event.

FRANK WARREN:

“It’s a fantastic fight with two undefeated heavyweights fighting each other in the early stages of their professional careers. How often does that happen? It’s quality, quality all the way through. These are big powerful heavyweights with dynamite in each hand.

“When they let punches go anything can happen. That is why it is a sensational fight for the fans. What is at stake? The winner will become a mandatory challenger for a world title. We’ve got a very busy eight months. Anthony Joshua has two mandatories, Tyson Fury fights Deontay Wilder on February 22 and they will have a rematch if the loser decides he wants one. By the time that dust settles, Daniel or Joe will be a mandatory challenger. The winner is looking at a world title fight inside a year and that is why this fight is happening.

“These fighters have self-belief and are putting it on the line. It is a special fight. Joe did the country proud with his Olympic silver medal, but Daniel is the new kid on the block.”

DANIEL DUBOIS:

“I am confident in myself. He’s going to turn into an old man in the ring. You’re going to see him deteriorate, big time. He is making statements but I will prove myself to the world. I see a massive target and I’m gonna let loose. I am going to dominate, move up the ladder and all his fans will become mine after the fight.

“He is getting destroyed — knocked out. This is a new chapter, the next step in my career. I have got to move through Joe, take him out in good fashion and move onto the world. My Dad set me on this journey when I was a young kid and these are the nights we speak about every day. He is going to sleep and taken out in devastating fashion. He will need that sleeping bag. I won’t miss him because he will be there and he’s getting wrecked. Joe is going down.”

JOE JOYCE:

“It is massive fight and I can’t wait to knock him out, simple as that. I have experience and who has he fought? I have been to The Olympics and picked up wins against really good opponents.

It is a 50-50 fight and he can bang, but he will find out what this is about. I didn’t box Daniel last year because he brought nothing to the table then, he does now. It is important to have belief and I believe I am going to do the job. Daniel is not ready for me and he’s going to find that out.”

SAM JONES (S-JAM Boxing):

“Who has Daniel beaten? Look who Joe has beaten amateur and pro. Daniel isn’t ready for this and he won’t avoid the iceberg. Joe is confident in taking this guy out. Daniel has potential and can come back, but he will unravel like an Andrex roll in this fight.

“He has never been hit on the whiskers and Joe will be landing big shots. Joe is going to train in Las Vegas where there are the best facilities in the world. There has been zero fallout with Adam Booth, but Joe is best when he is away from home training. Joe needs to show more and so does Daniel. This is a Fight of the Year candidate and someone is getting knocked out, simple as that.”

YARDE vs ARTHUR ADDED TO O2 BLOCKBUSTER

THE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED ‘Seek and Destroy’ showdown between Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce at the o2 Arena on April 11 now has a blockbuster chief support in place with Anthony Yarde set to take on the unbeaten Lyndon Arthur.

In what is another huge domestic duel, Yarde – who lost out in a world title challenge to Sergey Kovalev on away soil in August of last year – goes in with Manchester’s former Team GB product and Commonwealth champion Arthur in what is certain to be a pulsating collision of big-punching light heavyweights.

Prior to his venture to Chelyabinsk – Kovalev’s home town – Yarde had stopped all but one of his previous opponents and worked his way to the No.1 position with the WBO, winning the Southern Area, WBO European and WBO Intercontinental titles along the way.

Before this, the explosive 28-year-old known as ‘The Beast’ had not been taken beyond seven rounds and he currently holds a 90 per cent KO-ratio. Yarde’s ring record stands at 19-1 (18 KOs).

Decorated amateur Arthur, also 28, has registered 12 KOs from his 16 professional fights and won his Commonwealth crown last time out against Emmanuel Anim in December.

Trained by Pat Barrett at the Collyhurst and Moston Gym, ‘King Arthur’ has long considered himself the dark horse of the currently hot division and was patiently awaiting a breakthrough opportunity against one of the marquee domestic light heavyweights.

His wait is nearly over and we can expect a fascinating clash between a vastly experienced former amateur star and one who exploded onto the scene and thrived despite a limited amateur background.

Further title action comes in the form of a British welterweight championship rematch between Chris Jenkins (22-3-3, 8 KOs) from Garnant in Wales and ‘The Pexican’, Peckham’s Johnny Garton (21-2-1, 10 KOs).

The pair met in March 2019 when Garton was champion – having won the belt in a thriller against Gary Corcoran – at the Royal Albert Hall. Jenkins prevailed via the scorecards after an enthralling encounter and now he makes his third defence, having clocked up a victory over Paddy Gallagher and a technical draw last time out with Liam Taylor, where the fight was stopped due to a severe cut.

WBO European super featherweight champion Archie Sharp (18-0, 9 KOs) will be in title action at the o2, along with the WBO European super welterweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz (10-0, 6 KOs).

‘Sharpshooter’ Sharp clinched his champion status in October 2018 with the defeat of the then unbeaten Lyon Woodstock in Leicester. He has since made three successful defences of his title and has broken into the top-five of the WBO world rankings.

Sheeraz, just 20, won his belt with an impressive stoppage of Birmingham’s experienced campaigner Ryan Kelly in November.